Introduction Medical records are no longer just clinical documents—they are legal lifelines for healthcare practitioners. As per the latest editorial by Naidu and Momin (2024), the increasing frequency of medico-legal cases (MLCs) in Indian hospitals necessitates rigorous adherence to the National Medical Commission (NMC) guidelines on medical record retention and accessibility.1 Proper documentation serves as both a defensive and ethical practice, especially in scenarios involving legal scrutiny or patient grievances. Retention Framework and Timelines The NMC mandates that outpatient records must be preserved for a minimum of 3 years, inpatient records for 5 years, and medico-legal or death-related documents indefinitely or until the final judgment.
Pediatric records must be maintained until the patient turns 21. Additionally, specific registers such as birth, death, MTP, and operation…
